Minutes Exec Board Meeting 12/2/08

Distribution Discussion
-Ned will cross reference sheet in Harnwell with forum sign-ups and contact people who did not show up.

New Members
-Discussion of cutting members and application process. Decision to not cut anyone based on quality of their applications unless it’s really bad.

Treasury
Money on hand: ~$1800 (takes a little less than $1000 per publication)
-Need to make decision about whether to publish 2 or 3 more times. Additional money could come from Kelly’s Writers (last resort) or Fox Leadership.
-With current SAC funding, Soapbox can comfortably afford 5 issues.
-Consensus that 5 issues is enough (could publish more articles per issue) considering budget

New Editorial System
Currently, editors running occasionally late. Quality of edits have not been as good.
Proposal for face-to-face edits within editorial board for ~3 hours at one time per issue. Consensus that this will turn many editors off because of lack of time flexibility.
Nathan proposes to have a short, single meeting with the editors to get everything together and sort pieces.
Discussion of responsibility of fact-checking (writers, editors or copy-editors).
Style-guide is in the works to make edits better and more uniform.

New Layout Schedule
Schedule reviewed. Discussion of giving layout members a weekend to work on the issue + weekdays (not only weekdays). Decision to extend layout period to include a weekend, and to shorten the first round of editing period to 3 days
Discussion of summer issue. Consensus that the articles would be outdated by the time the next year comes around.
Notes: Pitches and writing time should be extended, editing should stay as it is.
2 articles per editor will be constant from now on.
Discussion continued of fixing schedule to give layout people more time.
Discussion of 2nd drafts (lowering turnaround time to final draft)

Exec Board Meetings
Next semester: biweekly meetings (no longer call them when we need them). Sunday 6pm-7pm

Outside Opinions/Marketing
Discussion of moving focus away from joining the organization (and becoming staff writers). New emphasis on getting work submitted by contributing writers with no membership necessary.

Governor Interview
Looks like it will work for next semester